BOOKS THREAD

Im sorry cosmo no offense why did you like The Road, I can't understand the fascination after reading it myself.

 

I thought The Help was great too. And I'm a guy. Or so I'm told.

 

Was just talking about the book with a friend, who finished it. I haven't read it yet. But he was talking about the same things you were. And, as talented as Agassi may be with words or revealing himself, he had a pretty good ghostwriter: J.R. Moehringer. My buddy also just finished The Tender Bar so was comparing the two, pointing out similar styles, etc. Here's a good story about their collaboration. He says Agassi had a huge role in every aspect of the book and I don't doubt it. But I'm also sure it read in a way it wouldn't have if the ghostwriter wasn't one of the best nonfiction writers anywhere.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/books/12agassi.html

I went to the Strand today with a 50 dollar gift certificate. Got five books for $51.06. I'm now completely stocked for upcoming 22-hour flight to South Africa and two-week stay.

Leigh Montville's The Big Bam
The Simpsons: An Uncensored, Unauthorized History, by John Ortved
Remembering Mr. Shawn's New Yorker, by Ved Mehta
Battle Cry of Freedom, by James McPherson (thanks for the recommendation above)
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon (ditto on a recommendation from an SJer). Just finished The Yiddish Policeman's Union, which had me quoting passages to my wife about every other page, until she told me to, please, stop.

 

STG--You just inspired me to pick up The Yiddish Policeman's Union, which has been sitting on my shelf for two years. Loved Kavalier & Clay so much, just a wonderful book. Thanks for the reminder.

 

I had looked at both of those books many times in the store but never picked them up, thinking the description of each didn't sound all that appealing. That was obviously a bad decision. Finally bought Yiddish Policemen's Union and finished it in about two days and now want to read everything of Chabon's I can get.

 

Read the middle of the two Means of Ascent. Very Good. Love Caro, esp The Power Broker about Robert Moses and the shaping of 20th century New York. Am looking to buy the other two books.

 

Going to get Taibbi's "The Great Derangement" today. Probably going to pick up a couple HST books too. I spent almost all last summer reading Thompson and needed a break. But I think I'm ready to get back into it.

 

'When You're Engulfed in Flames' David Sedaris
Hysterical and poignant, as usual.

 

My mini-review of Secretariat: The Making of a Champion (renamed from Big Red of Meadow Stable) By William Nack as requested by Double J.

I thought it was really good, especially considering the main subject can't add to the story being told about him. I am not a big horse racing person by any means but I knew enough that Nack is te guy to read anything written on Secretariat. A good portion of the opening part is all about the breeding process and the events that led to Secretariat becoming Secretariat. After that it gets into the racing aspect and the spectacle surrounding the horse. I'm also someone reading this story as someone who was almost a decade from being born when it occurred so I don't have the recall of any of it like someone who lived through it. It's also a pretty easy read for 300 or so pages.

 

So far in 2010:
Meat Market by Bruce Feldman
Secretariat: The Making of a Champion (renamed from Big Red of Meadow Stable) By William Nack

Just Started: The Best American Sports Writing 2009.

 

Thanks for the recommendation of A Few Seconds of Panic, I very much enjoyed it.

Up next is American Nerd, another one I saw on this thread, I do believe.

 

An awesome book, with dead-nuts reads re the characters of those most closely involved.

We get a movie this fall. Hope against hope.